Indian American Reps. Khanna, Jayapal, Bera, and Krishnamoorthi stress that discontinuing DACA will adversely impact not only the concerned individuals but also the US economy.
The Trump administration’s repealing of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has been widely criticized by the Indian American lawmakers. They have come out heavily to oppose the decision that has exposed more than 7000 Indians to deportation. In total, about 800,000 individuals benefitted from the program.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA 17th District)
“Today, the Trump Administration once again shows it has no dignity for our friends, neighbors, and colleagues,” Khanna said. “We must safeguard the livelihood of DREAMers and provide these inspiring young people and their courageous parents a pathway to citizenship.”
We must safeguard the livelihood of #DREAMers & provide these inspiring young people and their courageous parents a pathway to citizenship.
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) September 5, 2017
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA 7th District)
Jayapal said repealing DACA is “cruel, inhumane, and unjust.”
“President Trump is destroying the future of nearly 800,000 young men and women who were brought here by their parents and know no other country but this one,” Jayapal said. “After toying with their futures and raising their hopes with talk of his ‘big heart,’ Donald Trump has shown exactly what his priorities are.”
She said that Trump has “once again sided with hate and xenophobia, putting in place a repeal that is cruel, inhumane and unjust.”
Jayapal also stressed on the economic benefits of DACA.
“Across the nation, companies, schools and communities have greatly benefited from the talent, skill and unique perspective of the young people granted DACA status in America. The moral cost of repealing DACA is immeasurable. Economically, our country will lose $460.3 billion in GDP over the next decade from this repeal,” she said.
Repealing #DACA is cruel, inhumane, and unjust.
I call on my colleagues to immediately pass stand-alone legislation to protect DREAMers. pic.twitter.com/zZFEFVpmU3
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) September 5, 2017
Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA 7th District)
Congressman Bera also expressed his disapproval of the decision. He tweeted, “Extremely disappointed by President’s decision to end #DACA.”
Extremely disappointed by President’s decision to end #DACA. What are your thoughts? Take my survey: https://t.co/q37tpwDjmG #DefendDACA
— Ami Bera, M.D. (@RepBera) September 6, 2017
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL 8th District)
Krishnamoorthi said that the issue is personal for him as he too was brought to the US by his parents as a child. Krishnamoorthi said, “Through this action, the Administration is turning its back on some of our country’s best and brightest. Stripping 7,80,000 Dreamers of their DACA status will cost our economy nearly half a trillion dollars over 10 years while robbing our country of thousands of entrepreneurs and contributors at leading companies.”
He said he has always supported DACA and will continue to support it. “I’ve been proud to stand with #Dreamers and to support the #DACA program. I’ll continue to in the months and fights ahead. #DefendDACA,” the congressman tweeted.
I've been proud to stand with #Dreamers and to support the #DACA program. I'll continue to in the months and fights ahead. #DefendDACA https://t.co/QXAe5rS9Pq
— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) September 6, 2017